Container assembly



June 25, 1968 c. L. wHn'EFoRD 3,389,825

CONTAINER ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 20, 1965 l b ['11111/1 I l'll'lIlI/l'1111111 INVENTOR CARLTON L. WHITEFORD ATTORNEY United States Patent O3,389,825 CONTAINER ASSEMBLY Carlton L. Whiteford, New Canaan, Conn.,assignor to Poly-Pak Corporation of America, Springdale, Conn., acorporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 498,703 17 Claims.(Cl. 22B-23.4)

ABSTRACT F THE DSCLOSURE There is disclosed a package assembly whereintwo layers of ytray members are assembled in bottom-to-bottomrelationship so as to provide a plurality of pairs which may bedisassembled to provide unit packages. Cover members extend over theopen ends of the aligned tray members of each layer and are engagedtherewith to maintain the tray members in assembly and are severablebetween the adjacent tray members of the layer. Means are provided fordetachably securing the bottom wall portions of each pair of trays inthe desired aligned bottomto-bottom relationship.

The present invention rela-tes to packaging, and, more particularly, toa novel assembly of a plurality of packages.

In marketing many goods, particularly consumable and perishable goods,it is often highly desirable to package the goods in small segregatedquantities of an amount likely to lbe consumed at a single time. Such anarrangement results in great convenience in meting out the goods andeliminates the problem of storing open, partly-filled containers. Tothis end, many packaging assemblies have been proposed, the bulk ofwhich generally utilize a container receiving a plurality of individualpackages.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel andattractive assembly of a plurality of packages from which individualpackages may be conveniently removed for providing a measured amount ofgoods. It is also an object to provide such an assembly wherein thecomponents of the several packages may be conveniently and relativelyeconomically formed from synthetic plastic material and quickly andeasily assembled.

Another object is to provide such a package assembly wherein eachpackage may serve as the container from which the goods therein areultimately consumed.

Still another object is to provide such a package assembly wherein thepackages have means thereon for limiting movement relative to a surfaceupon which they are placed to facilitate use as the container from whichthe goods are directly consumed.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the followingdetailed description and claims and the attached drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a package assembly embodying thepresent invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof to an enlarged scalealong the line 2 2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an individual tray member of theassembly of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view to an enlarged scale along theline 4-4 of FIGURE 1 of a pair of tray members spaced apart from eachother for clarity of illustration.

It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects may bereadily attained in a package assembly including a plurality of pairs oftray members, wherein each tray member has a bottom wall portion andside wall portions extending about the periphery of the bottom wallportion and extending upwardly therefrom to provide an open end. Thetray members of each pair have their bottom wall portions adjacent eachother and the pairs of 3,389,825 Patented June 25, 1968 ICE tray membersare disposed in aligned, generally parallel relationship. Means areprovided for detachably securing the bottom wall portions of each pairin bottom-to-bottom generally vertically aligned relationship. The trayassembly includes a pair of cover members extending over the open endsof the pairs of aligned tray members and engaged therewith to maintainthe pairs of tray members in alignment and are severable betweenadjacent tray members to permit ready removal of individual tray membersfrom the assembly and desirably to provide a cover for the individualtray member when removed from the assembly.

The cover members may be fabricated from relatively exible sheetmaterial since the assemblage combines to provide relative rigidity butthe rigidity of the assembly may be enhanced by use of less liexiblesheet material for the cover members.

Various means may -be employed for sealing and engaging the covermembers to the tray members including mechanical interengagement, staticattraction, frictional engagement, interposed adhesives, solventsealing, and heat sealing. Generally, the cover members and tray membersare sealed about the periphery of the tray members by adhesion, andmechanical interengagement may be coupled therewith for optimumeffectiveness. A highly effective and rigidified assembly is providedwherein the side wall portions of the tray members have rim portionsextending about the periphery of the open end and the cover members haverib portions configured and dimensioned to seat and engage frictionallythe rim portions, thereby maintaining the pairs of tray members inalignment. To provide rmer engagement and a sturdier assembly, the ribportions of the cover members also extend between the pairs of traymembers and seat and engage the opposed rim portions of adjacent traymembers.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the rim portion has alaterally extending shelf portion and a depending lip portioncooperating with the side wall portion adjacent thereto to define aninverted generally U-shaped cross section. The cover members have bodywall portions which lit inwardly of the open ends of the tray membersand rib portions projecting thereabove of inverted, generally U-shapedcross section which seat snugly the rib portions. Although a separaterib portion might be provided to seat each of the opposed rim portionsof adjacent tray members, ease of fabrication and enhanced rigidity ofassembly are provided Iby having a rib portion extending betweenadjacent trays of greater width than that about the periphery of theassembly so as to receive and seat snugly the opposed rim portions withbut a minor spacing therebetween to facilitate severing of the covermember thereat.

To facilitate severing the cover member between adjacent tray members,the material thereof is desirably weakened as by score lines,perforations or the like.

Although mechanical interengagement may be employed as the means fordetachably securing together the bottom wall portions of each pair, theuse of adhesives is particularly advantageous, especially when theadhesive has portions which adhere preferentially to one of the traymembers and other portions of which adhere preferentially to the othertray member. Thus, upon separation of the tray members, each detachedtray member has adhesive on the bottom surface thereof forskid-and-spill-resistant placement upon planar supporting surfaces suchas tables and oors.

Such preferential adhesion conveniently may be provided by use ofsurface-treated polyolens for the tray members and application tonon-aligned portions of the bottom wall portions of an adhesiveincluding a relatively volatile component tending to produce enhancedadhesion which is substantially expelled prior to assembly. Water 3latex adhesive emulsions are satisfactory for this purpose.

Although other techniques such as injection and compression molding maybe employed for fabricating the tray and cover members, the members arereadily adapted to thermoforming from thermoplastic sheet material, thusenabling low-cost and facile operation. Exemplary of suitablethermoplastic sheet materials are linear polyethylene, polypropylene,nylon, high-impact styrene and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrenecopolymer.

Referring now in detail to the attached drawing, FIG- URE l illustratesa package assembly embodying the present invention and including threepairs of tray members, each tray member being generally designated bythe numeral 2, sealed and maintained in laterally assembled relationshipby a pair of cover members generally designated by the numeral 4. Asseen in FIGURES 2 and 4, adhesive 7, 9 detachably secures the traymembers 2 of each pair in bottom-to-bottorn assembly. As best seen inFIGURES 2, 3 and 4, each tray member 2 is seen to have a generallyplanar bottom wall portion 8 and side wall portions 10 which extendabout the periphery of the bottom wall portion 8 and extend generallyupwardly therefrom to provide an open end. To enhance the rigidity ofthe side wall portions 8, generally vertical corrugations are providedtherein. Extending about the periphery of the side wall portions 10 atthe open end thereof is an outwardly projecting rim portion defined by alaterally extending shelf portion 12 and a lip or skirt portion 14 whichdepends from the outer edge thereof. In this manner the rim portioncooperates with the adjacent portion of the side wall portion 10 todefine an inverted, generally U-shaped cross section. To lend rigidityto the rim portion which in turn rigidifies the side wall portion 8, astitfening flange 16 extends outwardly from the free edge of the skirtportion 14.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, wherein the pair of tray members 2 areillustrated as spaced apart from the bottom-to-bottom relationship seenin FIGURE 2, the adjacent surfaces of the bottom wall portion 8 of thetray members 2 in the pair are provided with stripes of adhesive '7, 9.The adhesive stripes on one tray member 2 are offset with respect to thestripes 9 on the other tray member 2 and contact only the bottom surfaceof the other tray member 2 rather than the adhesive on the other whenthe two tray members 2 are assembled. As previously indicated, theadhesive stripes 7, 9 desirably adhere preferentially or more stronglyto one of the tray members 2 than to the other. Thus, when the traymembers 2 are detached from each other, the bottom surface of each willretain some adhesive material thereon for skidresistant placement ontables or fioors.

The cover members 4 have planar body wall portions 20 which fit inwardlyof the open ends of the tray members 2 and a raised peripheral ribportion 22 of inverted,

generally U-shaped cross section and the outer lip or skirt portion 24is stiffened by the outwardly projecting flange portion 26. The U-shapedperipheral rib portion 22 is configured and dimensioned to receivesnugly those portions of the tray member rim portions which are adjacentthe periphery of the tray assembly and the stiffened skirt 24 abutsagainst the stiffening flange 16 and resiliently bears against the skirtportion 14 with suicient force to engage frictionally therewith, therebylocking the tray members 2 in lateral alignment.

The cover member 4 is further provided with raised transverse ribportions of inverted generally U-shaped configuration extending betweenthe peripheral rib portions 22 along opposed rim portions of adjacenttray members 2. A weakening line 32 extends along each transverse ribportion 30 at which the cover member 4 may be readily severed to permitconvenient removal of each tray member 2 from the assembly with aportion of cover member 4 sealed thcreover. As best seen in FIGURE 2,the transverse rib portion 30 is configured and dimensioned to receiveboth of the opposed rim portions of adjacent tray members 2 with asmallspacing between adjacent lip portions 18. This spacing permitslimited flexibility at the transverse rib portion 30 to facilitateseparation of the cover member 4 at the weakening line 32.

The cover members 4 are desirably sealed to the tray members 2 at thecooperating horizontal surfaces of the shelf portions 12 and ribportions 22, 30 by some form of adhesion.

The planar body wall portions 20 of the cover member 4 between theraised rib portions may bear decorative material or advertising mattersuch as appears on the cover member 4 in FIGURE 1 and indicated by thenumeral 34.

The peripheral and transverse ribs 22, 30 rigidify the cover members 4and maintain the tray members 2 in vertical and horizontal alignment aswell as provide an appearance of substantial thickness.

In this manner, the pair of cover members 4 and the adhesive' stripes 7,9 secure the plurality of pairs of tray members 2 into a relativelyrigid assembly of individually removable covered tray members.

In removing a tray member 2 from the assembly, the cover member 4overlying the tray member 2 to be removed is severed along the weakeningline 32 and may then be detached from the other tray member 2 formingits pair. In this manner, it can be seen that the portion of the covermember 4 overlying the removed tray member 2 is still assembled theretoby the engagement of the Aperipheral rib portion 22 of the cover member4 about the rim portion of the tray member 2. This cover member portionmay readily be removed from the tray member 2 by engaging the ange 26thereof and springing it outwardly from the skirt portion 14sufiiciently to permit the peeling of the cover member 4 therefrom.

The tray member 2 may then be placed on a supporting surface such as atable or tioor, and the adhesive stripes on the bottom Wall portion Srestrain the tray member 2 from sliding or tipping. Thus, the adhesiverenders the tray members particularly adaptable for feeding infants andanimals, and for use in moving vehicles. The emptied tray member may bethrown away thus eliminating the need for washing, or the cover portionmay be replaced upon the tray member for storage and unused contents.

Depending upon the degree of rigidity desired, the tray members may beconveniently and economically thermoformed from thermoplastic sheetmaterial of about 8-25 mils in thickness and preferably about 10-20mils. Similarly, the cover members may be sheet material of about 2-15mils merely adhered to the planar surfaces of the tray members or theymay be thermoformed from sheet material of about 2-25 mils. From thestandpoint of economy, a thermoformed cover of about 2-5 mils is quitesatisfactory although thicker sheet material may desirably be employedfor additional rigidity.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides an extremelyuseful and attractive package assembly of a plurality of trays fromwhich individually covered trays may be readily removed for providingconveniently a measured amount of goods. The components may be easilyand economically thermoformed of synthetic thermoplastic sheet materialand may be quickly and easily assembled. The individual tray member maybe used as the container from which the goods are consumed or as aresealable container for unused contents therein. In accordance with thepreferred aspect, the individual tray members also provide means forlimiting movement relative to a surface upon which they may be placed soas to facilitate their use as a serving container.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A package assembly comprising two layers each containing a piuralityof tray members, each of said ltray members having a bottom Wall portionand side wall portions extend-ing about lthe periphery of said bottomwall portion to provide an open end, the tray members of one layerhaving their bottom wall portions adjacent the bottom wall portions ofthe other layer to provide pairs of tray members in aligned generallyparallel relationship; means detachably securing the bottom wallvportions of each pair in bottom-to-bottom relationship; and a covermember extending over the open ends of the aligned tray members of eachlayer and engaged therewith to maintain said pairs of tray members inalignment, said cover members being severable between adjacent traymembers to permit ready removal of individual tray members from theassembly.

2. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein the side wall portions ofsaid tray members have rim portions extend-ing outwardly about theperiphery of said open ends and wherein said cover members have ribportions configured and dimensioned to seat and engage frictionally saidrim portions and thereby to maintain said pairs of tray members inalignment.

3. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein said rib portions of saidcover members extend 'between the pairs of tray members and seat andengage the opposed rim portions of adjacent tray members.

4. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein said cover members haveweakening lines therein extending between adjacent tray members.

5. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein said means detachablysecuring the bottom wall portions of said tray members is an adhesive,portions of said adhesive preferentially adhering to one of the traymembers and other portions of said adhesive preferentially :adhering tothe other of the tray members to provide each detached tray member withan adhesive portion on the bottom thereof for skid-and-spill resistantplacement on a supporting planar surface.

l6. The package assembly of claim 5 wherein said tray members yarefabricated from polyolen material having the outer surface of saidbottom wall portions surfacetreated and wherein said adhesive is appliedto non-aligned portions of said tray members of each pair and includes arelatively volatile component tending to produce enhanced adhesion tothe tray member.

7. The paackage assembly of claim 1 wherein said tray members and saidcover members are thermoformed from synthetic thermoplastic material.

8. The package assembly of claim 2 wherein said rim portions of saidtray members Ihave a laterally extending shelf portion and a dependinglip portion cooperating with the adjacent side wall portion of the traymember to define a generally U-shaped cross section and wherein said ribportions of said cover members are generally U-shaped to seat snuglysaid rim portions.

9. The package assembly of claim 8 wherein said cover members have ribportions extending between adjacent pairs of tray members of greaterwidth than the rib portions extending about the periphery of theassembly and dimensioned to receive and seat snugly the opposed rimportions of adjacent tray members.

10. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein said cover members 'arefabricated from relatively rigid synthetic plast-ic sheet material.

11. A package assembly comprising two layers each containing a pluralityof tray members integrally thermoformed from synthetic thermoplasticsheet material, each of said tray members having a bottom wall portionand side wall portions extending about the periphery of said bottom wallportion and providing an open end, said side wall portions having a rimportion extending outwardly about the open end thereof, the tray membersof one layer having their bottom wall portions adjacent the bottom wallportions of the other layer to provide pairs of tray members in alignedgenerally parallel relationship; adhesive detachably securing the bottomwall portions of each pair of tray mem-bers in bottom-to-bottomrelationship; and a cover member integrally thermoformed from syntheticthermoplastic sheet material extending over the open ends of the alignedtray members of each layer and engaged therewith to maintain said pairsof tray members in alignment, said cover members having a rib portionconfigured and dimensioned to seat and engage said r-im portions, said`cover members being severable between adjacent tray members to permitready removal of individual tray members from the assembly.

12. The package assembly of claim 11 wherein said rim portions of saidtray members have a laterally extending shelf portion and a dependinglip portion cooperating with the ladjacent side wall portion of the traymember to define a generally U-shaped cross section and wherein said ribportions of said cover members are generally U-shaped to seat snuglysaid rim portions.

13. The package assembly of claim 12 wherein said cover members have ribportions extending between adjacent pairs of tray members of greaterwidth than the rib portions extending about the periphery of theassembly and dimensioned to receive and seat snugly the opposed rimportions of adjacent tray members.

'14. The package assembly of claim 11 wherein portions of said adhesivepreferentially adhere to one of the tray members and other portions ofsaid adhesive preferentially adhere to the other of the tray members toprovide each detached tray member with an adhesive portion on theVbottom thereof for skid-and-spill resistant placement on a supportingplanar surface.

15. A package assembly comprising two layers each containing a pluralityof tray members integrally thermoformed from synthetic thermoplasticsheet material, each of said tray members having a bottom wall portionand side wall portions extending about the periphery of said bottom wallportion to provide an open end, the tray members of one layer havingtheir bottom wall portions adjacent the bottom wall por-tions of theother layer to provide pairs of tray members in aligned generallyparallel relationship, the side wall portions of said tray membershaving a rim extending about the open end thereof with a laterallyextending shelf portion and a depending lip portion cooperating with theadjacent side wall portion of the tray member to dei-lne a generallyU-shaped cross section; ad'hesive detachably securing the bottom wallportions of each pair of tray members in bottom-to-bottom relationship,portions of said adhesive preferentially adhering to one of the traymembers and other portions of said adhesive preferentially Iadhering tothe other of the tray members to provide each detached tray member withan adhesive portion on the bottom surface thereof for skid-and-spillresistant placement on a supporting planar surface; and `a cover memberintegrally thermoformed from synthetic thermoplastic sheet materialextending over the open ends of the aligned tray members of each layerand engaged therewith to maintain said pairs of tray members inalignment, said cover members having a rib of generally U-shape-dconfiguration extending about the periphery thereof and between adjacentpairs of tray members, the portion of said rib extending about theperiphery of said package assembly being dimensioned to receive and seatthe cooperating rim of said tray members and the portion of said ribextending between adjacent pairs of tray members being of greater widththan the -rib portion extending about the periphery of the assembly anddimensioned to receive and seat snugly the opposed rims of adjacent traymembers, said cover members being severable between adjacent traymembers to permit ready removal of individual tray tnembers from theassembly.

16. The package assembly of claim 15 wherein said cover members haveweakening lines the-rein extending between adjacent tray members.

17. The package assembly of claim 15 wherein portions of said adhesivepreferentially adhere to one of the tray members and other portions ofsaid adhesive preferentially adhere to the other of the tray members toprovide each detached tray member with an adhesive portion on the bottomthereof for skd-and-spill resistan'g 3,104,776 9/1963 Bostrom 220-72placement on a supporting planar surface. I 3,113,673 12/1963 Stein 20665 References Cited 3,223,233 12/1965 Becker et ai 20s-65 UNITED STATESPATENTS A 5 'HHERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. 3,021,001 2/1962Donofrio 220-23.4

3,092,501 6/1963 Beck et al' JAMES B. MARBERT, Exll'le.

